Metro Facts

METRO Regional Transit Authority enhances the quality of life for our community by providing innovative transportation that is safe, dependable, cost-effective and customer-focused... now and into the future.

METRO’s overall revenue-producing fleet totals 227 vehicles: 136 large buses and 91 smaller paratransit buses, all of which are wheelchair accessible. Some passenger vehicles are equipped with a hydraulic lift to accommodate scooters or wheelchairs; others kneel by lowering the front passenger corner of the vehicle to curb level so passengers can roll aboard on a slide-out ramp.

METRO’s fleet is 100 percent accessible for mobility devices measuring a maximum of 30” x 48” with a combined maximum weight of 600 pounds for passenger and chair or scooter.

The average age of the large buses is 4.3 years. For small buses, the average age is 2.0 years. All METRO line-service buses are equipped with bike racks.

METRO’s 2014 operating expenses were $40.94 million and operating revenues were $54.3 million. Labor accounted for 46.5 percent of total 2014 expenses. Other expenses included fringe benefits at 24.6 percent, materials and supplies were 14.0 percent, purchased transportation was 1.9 percent, and casualty and liability insurance 3.1 percent.

METRO’s total 2014 income included 8.8 percent from federal revenue, state revenue was .4 percent, and fare box and ticket sales amounted to 9.0 percent. Sales tax generated $42.1 million, or 79.2 percent of total revenue.

Trainers in the Human Resources Department provided 14,523 hours of employee training in 2014 through a combination of hands-on and classroom settings in such diverse areas as driver training, passenger safety, health issues, workplace violence and safety.

In 2014, METRO’s responded to 247,543 requests for information on line-service and 204,359 SCAT calls. Other diverse requests for information are related to such topics as school field trips, ticket orders, schedule requests and group trips.

The department maintains and services more than 100 schedule rack locations throughout Summit County.

Customer Services also provides travel training for passengers, teaching them how to read bus schedules and use the METRO transit system.

Two Northcoast Express routes to downtown Cleveland, making limited stops in order to help * passengers reach their destinations in the shortest reasonable time

Current per-ride fare on line service within Summit County is $1.25 for adults and children age six and over. The fare is 50 cents for passengers over age 65 or with a disability, within the Akron-Summit County area. To be eligible for the 50-cent fare, a passenger must show the operator a Medicare card, SCAT I.D. or Disability and Senior (D&S) card. Also available:

METRO SCAT is personalized, prearranged, origin-to-destination transportation for older adults and people with disabilities—a service known as demand-response transportation. To be eligible, passengers must live in Summit County, have a SCAT Photo I.D. card, and be 62 years of age or older and/or have a disability that prohibits the passenger from using regular line service.

SCAT operates Monday through Friday. Hours of operation vary by community. Passengers are permitted one round-trip per day. Additional medical-related trips are permitted on a trip-by-trip basis. Trips for groceries or food are limited to the grocery store or nutrition center nearest the passenger’s home. Trip reservations must be made 24 hours in advance.

A companion may accompany the primary SCAT passenger for an additional $2.00 per ride.

“Life necessary” SCAT service includes work, medical care and education, and is available anywhere within Summit County. “Convenience” destinations (bank, hairdresser, laundromat, etc.) must be within six driving miles of the passenger’s residence and are secondary to “life necessary” trips for vehicle availability.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Complementary Paratransit is specialized transportation for people with disabilities, complementing regular bus service by transporting qualified passengers up to 3/4 mile to and/or from a bus stop so they can access regularly scheduled METRO RTA routes. ADA Complementary Paratransit service is available during the hours METRO fixed routes operate, and both pick-up and drop-off must be within 3/4 mile of a fixed bus route.

This service transports qualified passengers to and from the bus stop when and if their disability prevents them from otherwise accessing that fixed route.

Others eligible for ADA Paratransit are those passengers with a disability that prevents them from using regular bus service: they cannot board, ride or exit an accessible vehicle that is part of regular fixed-route service.

Eligibility may be temporary or permanent, depending on the disability. Some individuals may be eligible only for certain trips or may qualify only during certain times of the year. A functional assessment is required to determine ADA paratransit eligibility. There are no limits on a passenger’s daily trips, but travel must be scheduled at least one day (and up to three days) in advance. The fare for Paratransit service is $2.50 each way, and the passenger’s pre-registered personal care attendant may ride along at no extra charge.

METRO offers customized prearranged facility tours for groups to visit our Transit Center as well as our Kenmore Blvd. bus garage and maintenance area, to learn about METRO and about employment opportunities in public transit. Travel training is available for students in middle school and high school—as well as international students.

Travel training is offered to social service agency clients, older adults and persons with disabilities.

Informative, entertaining, customized presentations for your group or organization featuring METRO’s evolution from mule drawn carriages to the complex system serving Summit County today.

Educating organizations about METRO’s supporting role in Akron/Summit County economic development, providing transportation for over 5.4 million passengers annually. Employees traveling to/from work, shoppers, students, patients in need of medical care...all of these and more look to METRO for safe, efficient travel throughout Summit County.

The October 22, 2007 groundbreaking ceremony, January 5, 2009 dedication and May 16, 2012 renaming of the Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center at 631 S. Broadway in downtown Akron launched METRO into a new level of service.

METRO line service from the facility began Sunday, January 18, 2009. Greyhound Bus Lines began operating from the Intermodal Transit Center in late January, 2009.

The Wi-Fi enabled Transit Center features travel amenities and improved security with more than 90 cameras and an Akron Police Department substation. METRO Customer Service representatives are on-site to assist passengers with their METRO travel plans.

Public restroom facilities, indoor and outdoor seating areas, a climate-controlled environment, cafe, ATM, vending machines for food and beverages—and more—are available to passengers.

The Transit Center was certified a Gold LEED building in 2010. The Center uses geothermal energy for heating and cooling, gets electricity from its solar paneled roof and recycles rainwater, among other Earth-friendly features.

METRO Goes Green

It’s time someone sat down for the environment.

Yes. You read correctly. We all take a stand for the things we believe. Sometimes all that standing can get a little tiring, no? So, rest up on a METRO bus, help Mother Earth and plan how you’ll change the world from your bus seat.

Did you know public transportation saves the U.S. the equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gas annually? This is more than three times the amount of gasoline refined from oil we import from Kuwait!

Our Industry

Riding public transportation is a significant way to cut passenger transportation energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Each year, transit passengers reduce their own use of fuel by the equivalent of 1.8 billion gallons of gasoline and reduce their own carbon dioxide emissions by 16.2 million metric tons.

Combined with savings from improved traffic flow due to transit’s impact on reducing congestion and secondary land use and travel reduction impacts, transit reduces annual fuel use by the equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 37 million metric tons. That’s pretty impressive.

Our Transit Center

Completed in January 2009, the Transit Center in downtown Akron uses 435 solar panels to generate energy. By April, 2010, the panels had generated almost 150,000 kilowatt hours worth of power. That’s roughly the energy you’d need to run a television set for about 190 years.

Lest you think our solar purpose is only concerning our Transit Center, in September 2010, we flipped the switch on 2,080 solar panels installed on the roof of our Kenmore Blvd. bus garages. You may also monitor the energy those panels create.

Sunk 305 feet into the ground, geothermal wells – 45 of them to be exact – keep the property nice and toasty in the winter and cool in the summer. We recycle rainwater and use it for landscaping and non-potable purposes in our rest rooms.

In addition to recycling rainwater, we recycle just about everything we can. Where feasible, recycled materials, like concrete, were used in the Center’s design. You’ll also notice recycling receptacles in key locations around the Transit Center. Pitch in your bottles and cans. But, please empty them first. We can’t recycle your soda or juice!

Our Passengers

Each day, METRO passengers make more than 22,000 trips to work, school, medical appointments & other places. Can you imagine the traffic snarl if all those trips were made with cars instead?

On average, the typical public transit rider consumes half the oil an automobile owner consumes. That’s good news.

Nearly 90 percent of METRO passengers get to their buses using good old fashioned foot power, either walking or riding a bike. Your ridership helps METRO help the environment. So, we’ll see you on the bus!

Here are some quick facts on how METRO and public transportation are the environment’s best friends: